Sister Merchant, Brother Scholar
by Ginseng Kalbern
Summary: If you knew that the world as you know it would end, if humanity was on the brink of extinction in the unforeseen future, what would you do? Would you prevent it from happening? Or would you only cry in despair? For the family of merchants, they would pick neither. They have been through many things through many generations, and they all learn the same lesson... to take advantage.
1. Setting the Stage

There was never a moment when the harsh, unforgiving sun didn't shine its rays over the Plegian Desert. There was never a break from the gushing winds that spewed sand and grime on a person when they ask for shade or fresh air.

For anyone who traveled here in this environment, it was a grueling experience that only most can imagine. It may not be the same with merchants or those native to Plegia, as they are by now used to these conditions, but for others it is a whole different story. Anyone who have crossed through the terrain can tell you how important it is to be prepared and be constantly hydrated, as it could mean certain death to those who are unprepared.

Unfortuneatly, it seems the Ylissean Army failed to heed their warnings, and this was only one of many mistakes made in the war.

This began shortly after the Exalt of Ylisse had declared war on Plegia, claiming that it was his duty to expand the influence and religion of Naga, while punishing those who worship the Fell Dragon, Grima. Although questionable, it was met with little to no objections among the nobility and commoners alike.

Many soldiers were mobilized and sent west, with the strong conviction of fighting for the Exalt and for Naga, and soon many accounts of bravery and heroism have been told throughout the land, causing many more to join their ranks in the army. With their high morale and even higher numbers, the Ylisseans were able to drive the Plegian Army deep into their own territory, and soon they gained enough ground to reach Plegia Castle within the first few months of the war.

At this point many had assumed that the Plegians would surrender by the end of the year, but fate proved otherwise.

With how much territory the Ylisseans had gained, only a small portion of it was actually suitable for their needs, and only a number of towns and villages were captured were considered strategically important during the initial months of the only that, but due to the desperate need of soldiers to sent to the western front, the majority of Ylissean troops were undertrained and under equipped, and as Plegian resistance was extremely high, it also resulted in many casualties.

To make matters worse, rumors began to circulate around Ylisse about the army. Many of these tales talked of the razing of villages as well as the slaughtering of many civilians who were not active in the fighting. This caused many of the people of Ylisse to protest against the war. Soldiers who were not in the front lines heard these rumors, and many began to desert their post or even caused insubordination among their superiors.

This, along with the high casualties and unpopularity of the war, had the Ylissean Army weakened to the point where they were forced to halt their advances on the enemy. With their supply lines stretched thin and vulnerable to raids, reinforcements and supplies would take weeks before they arrive.

For the Plegians, it was more than enough time as they were able to launch a counteroffensive against the Ylisseans. With the previous confusion and weakening of its army, the Ylisseans began losing territory as quickly as they gained as Plegian forces pushed them back with renowned vigor, and soon they were already within the desert, with the border of both nations in their sights.

At this point, the Ylisseans had dug in, and soon enough it became more or less of a stalemate as neither Ylisse nor Plegia was able to conduct a significant attack that would break through it. The stalemate lasted for several years, with both sides accumulating as much as thousands of casualties, and with little to no ground gained whatsoever.

In order to escape the horrible reality of war, many refugees had fled from Ylissean-occupied Plegia and headed north to Regna Ferox, hoping to improve their way of life. This in turn enraged the Exalt, and accused the ruling Kahn of being sympathizers of the enemy, which soon lead to closing diplomatic relations and trading with Ylisse.

With each year that passed by, many Ylisseans at home began to blame the Exalt for bringing ruin to their land, as while the haildom hasn't necessarily collapsed, its military and economy was being crippled due to the war. When the people have heard of the news of Regna Ferox, as well as the rumors from the western front, riots broke out throughout Ylisse and many were demanding a stop to the war, threatening to overthrow him if he did not comply.

As the problems raged on in Ylisse, it was a whole different matter in Plegia.

As Plegia was a nation whose official religion involved the worship of the Fell Dragon, many had assumed that they would be the ones to instigate a war and make the first move. It came as a big shock to everyone when the news of the invasion of Plegia came to the Plegians knew that such a war was imminent, they neglected to organize any defensive plan should such situation arise, because many had assumed, especially those of high command, that the Ylisseans were too religious or pacifistic to even consider an unprovoked attack on its neighbor.

They would soon suffer the consequences of said neglect when the Ylisseans began occupying much of their territory. During the invasion, the Plegian King had called a decree for conscription, calling all able bodied men to fight for their homeland. This increased the number of Plegians, and at its peak had outnumbered the Ylissean Army by over half. Unfortunately, many of its men were severely under-trained and had never seen battle, much like Ylisse, and it would prove disastrous during the upcoming months. Unlike the Ylisseans however, their economy was relatively better than Ylisse, and were able to afford much needed equipment and supplies, which in turn might have saved them from being overwhelmed by the enemy.

Nevertheless, it would not be until the decisive battle of the Plegian Capital that the Ylissean advance was halted.

While they failed to come up with a defensive strategy during the invasion of Plegia, the Plegians quickly drafted and made final the Major Plegian Counteroffensive Plan, which began shorlty after their narrow victory at the capitol. The Plegians knew that while Ylissean forces had taken much territory, they did not have much knowledge of its lands and deserts. They also knew that with having conquered so much land in a single amount of time, their numbers had decreased significantly and their supply lines were stretched thin, leaving them undefended and vulnerable to attack.

The plan called for the fortification of several strategic points along the front lines in order to prevent the Ylisseans from launching another attack, while its remaining forces regrouped at the capitol, where they will act as the spearhead to break through enemy lines, while fliers and dark mages would flank them and disrupt their supply lines. Among the confusion, they would encircle the Ylissean forces, where they would completely annihilate them.

The initial phase went much more smoothly than they would have ever hoped, and soon the Plegians were able to break through and push them back east. This provided a boost of morale with the Plegian troops, and heavy resistance became common along the front lines. This forced the Ylisseans to begin a 'scorched earth' policy, in order to prevent the Plegians from receiving aid from villagers.

During the initial months of the war, many of the villages and towns were either passed by or otherwise ignored by the Ylisseans to the account of not being of strategic importance or that they were not contributing to the war effort. This changed after the counteroffensive took effect. Not wanting the Plegians to have an advantage over them, they began destroying crops and houses as well as killing livestock. Many villagers were forced to flee from their homes and those who refused or otherwise went against the Ylisseans were quickly cut down.

It was when the rumors began and the Grimleal, who were the actual governing force in Plegia, had twisted them to their liking, and many began to believe them.

Not wanting to face the wrath of the Ylissean Army, many Plegian refugees left their homes and went north, taking only what they could. The trek up north was a grueling experience, and many had died. They travelled through rugged and war torn terrain, suffered raids from brigands and thieves, attack from beasts and animals, and the ever constant threat of disease and mother nature was inevitable. Even then, many were able to reach the neighboring land of Regna Ferox.

Regna Ferox had declared its neutrality at the beginning of the war, claiming that they had no reason nor any interest in becoming involved in their war, but still held trading agreements for both Ylisse and Plegia. Other than that, there was little to no involvement whatsoever with both sides during the war, and had turned down several offers from both sides, urging them to join their side.

That only changed, however, when the Plegian counteroffensive began. More specifically, when the refugees began arriving to Regna Ferox. At first they denied entrance, as they believed that it would be a violation of its neutrality, but when they heard of the rumors of the front lines as well as the news of the 'scorched earth' policy implemented by Ylisse, they were appalled, and decided to accept them into their land. The Exalt was not happy with the decision and demanded that they would get rid of the refugees. The ruling Kahn refused and warned the Exalt not to do anything that would prevent them from coming to their country, as they are not actively fighting in the war.

This enraged the Exalt and began accusing the Kahn of secretly siding with the Plegians and being friendly with the enemy. The Kahn did not tolerate it, and decided to cut all ties and trading agreements with Ylisse. They still continued to trade with Plegia in the meantime, as they had no problem with them at the moment.

About six years has passed since the start of the war, and for about half the time the Ylisseans managed to control almost all of Plegia before their advance was stopped. From there, the Plegians retreated, regrouped and launched a major counteroffensive that slowly pushed the Ylisseans back, to at which point they had retreated all the way back to the Plegian Desert, where they had initially started, and where they had dug in.

Now both sides have reached a stalemate across the Plegian Desert, and neither are able to overpower the other. Apart from a number of small skirmishes, no significant move has been made, as soldiers from both sides have exhausted themselves to fight any further.

They don't have the will to fight, but neither do they have the will to surrender. Now the war has turned more into a waiting game, and the loser would have to have to abide by the winner. The winner would do nothing but lick its wounds.

Fortunately for the players, as well as the group of spectators in between, the game would be over soon. Much sooner than they think.

* * *

 **Hello Hello! Kalbern here!**

 **First of all i would like to say that this is my first fanfic ever, and i would really appreciate it if you would give me some advice and/or any corrections regarding the story or otherwise. What you like or dont like, any grammar mistakes, all that stuff would help me alot in the near future. Also, as i dont really have time on my hands at the moment, this would be updated on a monthly basis at best, so i apologize for any inconvenience or if you were hoping to have this updated much sooner.**

 **Im very happy to be starting something as exciting as this, and i look forward to share more of this with you! Thank you for taking the time to read this, and i hope you will enjoy this as much as i am writing it.**

 **Untill next time!**

 **P.S: Fire Emblem belongs to Nintendo and to their respective owners. I dont know if i would get in trouble if i didnt mention that, so here we go just in case!**

 **Update 4/4/2018: Just fixed some VERY obvious errors, god im so embarassed. Anyways, this was kind of rushed a bit, so i apologize if it seemed a bit confusing. Let me know if there are other corrections to make here.**


	2. Arrival at Mirage Village

Today has proven to be a very busy day at the local tavern, as many of the villagers were bringing in new shipments of badly needed supplies and food for the people of Mirage Village that was ordered about several weeks ago. Various articles of food along with boxes of tea and alcohol and other goods can be seen being brought into the back for later distribution while the ones who came from the trip were taking a break. It was sometime in the afternoon, so the tavern was full of patrons, filling the place with the smell of food and drink. The ever constant chatter can be heard, whether it be the gossip of the housewives, the adventurous tales of the men who were part of the convoy who were protecting said shipment, or in the case of a certain red-headed merchant, discussing the details of business with the tavern owner.

Had it not been for the merchant, this atmosphere of pleasantness would not have been possible, as only just a few weeks ago they were dangerously close to using up all that they had in the village.

* * *

Mirage village was a somewhat small village that was close to one of the several oasis terrains that can be found throughout the Plegian desert, which provided temporary shade and water to the villagers, as well as herbs for medicine. It was not enough for the village, however, so they had to obtain supplies form the other neighboring villages from fixed routes. While it was not a main trade, as they also received most of their goods from the capital and other various locations, they were able to sustain themselves as well as providing a way to obtain news from the world outside, as they are mostly an isolated village.

The name of their village came to be because of how it was able to seemingly disappear into thin air from a distance, and it helped prevent the chance of being attack from any brigands or other enemies. Unfortunately, it also became a problem, as mot many people knew the exact location of the village, to the point where they would have to rely on those native to the village, as many believed that the Mirage village was nothing but a myth of the desert. Nevertheless, the villagers were able to make sure to prevent the neglect of their village and live their lives as they would do.

This became routine for many years until the start of the Ylisse-Plegian war broke out, and soon many began to fear their lives as they heard the news of the invasion of Plegia. The elder of the village urged everyone not to leave nor have anyone enter the village, as they could be easily found out by the Ylisseans. This also meant they had to cut ties with the other villages and ration their food and supplies. While this plan of waiting out had worked for a short while, by the time the Battle of the Plegian Capital was taking place, they soon realized they would have to find a way to restock, as their supply was slowly being depleted.

They also had no idea what was going on as they lost contact with the outside world when they cut ties with the other villages. Year after year the villagers would only receive what they were allowed to eat and drink, and they would spend most of their time either in constant fear or with their families and loved ones because they had no idea when it would be the last time they would get to be with them. At this point many were preparing for the inevitable, as many were losing hope in returning to their normal lives. It was no wonder the villagers would consider the lone merchant to be a miracle from above when she arrived.

The merchant called herself Anna, and she wanted to strike a deal with the people of Mirage Village. The villagers were worried because they did not have enough gold or had any goods to trade with, but were soon relieved when she turned down that idea. What she did want, however, was a new place of residence for her and her group when they would arrive. This was surprising to the villagers, as well as the elder himself who was present with them, but he soon replaced it with a sense of suspicion and asked her why she would want to live here.

"Well knowing how this place is, I wanted to settle down and live in a nice quiet house when I get bored of the merchant business..." she replied with a hint of playfulness in her voice. This only made the elder more suspicious of her but nevertheless had to accept her offer, as he was really not in a position to argue, and so he invited Anna to his home with his wife for dinner tonight.

After discussing the terms of the agreement at dinner, she went to work writing down orders from the elder organizing them by quantity, quality and by urgency. This took her for most of the night and was allowed to stay at the elders house before heading out the next morning. During her absence, the villagers went to work, building a house that was big enough for several people by the outer limits of the village, like how she wanted it as described in her offer. It would take about several days until she would return with a convoy of food, medicine and other goods.

* * *

At the moment Anna was at the bar counter, drinking while talking with the bartender, who was a young man in is twenties filling in for his father. The bartender wanted to know about what was going on outside the village, but soon realized that much of the news were not necessarily pleasant. Anna had just told him about the war and how it was progressing as well as the current stalemate they had at the moment.

"So all this time we were in the middle of a godsdamned battlefield?" he asked with a shocked looked on his face.

"Afraid so barkeep. They've been at it so long its a wonder how they didn't find you guys already." replied Anna in a casual tone, as she then took a moment to have another swig of her ale before continuing, "And they already are at their wits end, so I don't know what keeping them from just ending it then and there"

The bartender frowned, " The nerve of those Ylissean dogs! Haven't they had enough of bloodshed already?"

"Apparently not, but what can you do? besides, it's not like you guys have been fond of those Plegian soldiers either"

"Perhaps not, but at the very least they don't dare hurt innocent people who cant defend themselves"

Anna took another swig of her ale and looked at him with a raised brow. "Really? Heh, If that's what you think, then you might haven't been out long enough"

"My father was part of the Plegian Army many years ago" He said sternly, evidently not amused by her comment "He helped protect the people of this Kingdom as a distinguished knight, and he was far a better man than anyone else"

"Whoa there hon! No need to get all defensive. Just letting you know not everyone has the same idea as your old man" Anna held her hands up in a calming manner.

Thankfully the young man closed his eyes and took deep breaths before apologizing, "Sorry about that, its just... well all of us have been cooped up in this village for so long that I can't help but feel a bit... anxious"

"Don't sweat it, hon. All work and no play, as they say. So uhhh..."

"Jake"

"Jake, right! Um... do you know where your dad is by the way? I need to talk to him about something important"

"Well he's at the back, helping your guys unloading and organizing. Might want to wait for a bit"

"Sure thing"

The bartender then left to serve the other patrons, leaving Anna at her seat with her now empty drink. She looked around the tavern, seeing the once hopeless villagers laughing and smiling as they enjoyed their meals and drinks, almost as if they were never in any real danger to begin with. All it did though was leave a sort of melancholy feeling on her.

 _Glad to see they don't have to worry. Heh, if only they knew._

Thankfully her thoughts were interrupted by a man sitting next to her.

"Hey there beautiful, mind if i buy you another drink?"

She then looked to her right with a smirk on her face

"Shut the hell up, Alfred. Arn't you supposed to be helping out with your brothers unloading?"

"Well if you were paying attention instead of flirting with that guy, dear cousin, then you would see that we are done already". That earned him a strong punch on the arm, courtesy of Anna

"Ouch!"

"Ass..." She then got out of her chair and went to the back of the tavern, Alfred following close behind. As they reached the kitchen, she saw the tavern owner taking inventory while several of her other cousins were with him watching.

"I'm guessing everything is here...?"

The owner turned to see Anna and Alfred, with a pleased smile on his face, "That it is, ma'm, that it is! Thanks for helping us out in our time of need. If it wasn't for you, then this place would not have survived a few weeks longer!"

"Well, us Anna's do our best to leave our costumers happy!"

"Haha! well you've certainly made me happy lass! Although...", the owner lowered his voice a little " When i first met ya, I assumed you would just get our hopes up and leave for a meal and bed!"

Anna faked a small gasp, a hand to her heart, acting offended "Why the nerve! I would never deceive my loyal costumers for something as small as that! And here I thought we were just beginning to have something..."

That got a hearty laugh out of the owner

"Har har har! Quite the actress arn't ya?", When he calmed himself down he saw the young man next to Anna, "And who is this lad right here, eh?"

"The name's Alfred, pleasure to meet you" He offered his hand, which the owner gladly took

"The pleasure is all mine! So I assume those other boys of yours are your brothers?"

"Yes,but Anna is my cousin, so we don't have the same similarities"

"Hmmm, well either way I thank you lads for helping an old man with an errand"

"Glad to be of service"

"Well then..." His focus went back to Anna "My son Jake has told me you had something important to discuss"

"Yes I did, sir"

Anna looked at Alfred, to which he only gave her a slight nod, and handed her a map. They both had planned this years ago, and the time was right to make it happen. While they knew what was coming, they still had to gain a foothold before they can even make a move. They had already established their main hideout in Mirage Village, but they still need to have connections to move to the next phase and gain allies outside of their respective families.

The three made their way toward the kitchen table while the others left to have a well deserved break. Anna placed the map on the table and unrolled it, which turned out to be a map of the world, and several trade routes, locations and other landmarks were marked on the map. Looking at this, the owner gave Anna and Alfred a confused look.

"Your son told me that you have served in the Plegian Army, is that right?"

"Aye that is true, i've been to many places and met alot of folks during my time in service"

Anna smiled slightly at this

"Well then, perhaps you can help us out on a few things..."

 _Gain influence, gain allies, then proceed to the next phase...to take advantage...  
_

* * *

 _ **Hello Hello! Kalbern Here!**  
_

 _ **Well then, here is the second chapter for you guys. Im sure you guys have some questions, but rest assured that everything will be explained soon. Again, if there is any mistakes that are seen here, or if you have any questions, comments or concerns, be sure to let me know. I will do my best to answer them all and fix any mistakes.**_

 _ **Anyways, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! Until next time!**_


	3. The Day before the Departure

**Hello Hello, Kalbern Here!**

 **Well to those who were wondering, i am currently busy with GED, work and overall life. I did warn you though, so don't say i did't say so. Nevertheless to those who don't know, this will be updated on a monthly basis (subject to change).**

 **Thanks for being patient with me and sorry for any inconveniences that this may bring to you, and if there are any mistakes that are seen in this let me know either on reviews or PM me and i will get them fixed. For now though, I'd just like to say thanks for giving the time to read this little story of mine. Now then, on with the story!**

 **Also, I do not own Fire Emblem Awakening, although I think you know that by now...**

* * *

It has been only a few days since Anna arrived with the convoy, and now Mirage Village has enough food and supplies to last for months. During that time, Alfred and his brothers were helping the villagers with repairs and building, as well as giving medical attention and other various services, as they were described to them by Anna as it was told a few weeks back. That, along with the convoy, had allowed the village to get back on its feet and resume business as usual, and the villagers no longer had the fear of death holding above their heads. It was almost as if they had no problems in the first place.

It was sometime in the afternoon, and most of the villagers were either resting or outside taking a stroll along the sand covered road, seeing as the wind were not as violent enough to cause a sand storm. If it wasn't for the glaring sun above, it would be even considered peaceful. Anna, however, was outside of the elder's house, looking out at the village. It was an enjoyable experience here in Mirage Village, but there was still work to be done.

 _I'm getting a step closer to my goal... I need to keep going..._ she reminded herself as she began walking towards the front door. She took a deep breath before knocking.

Less than a minute later, the Elder opened the door.

"Ah, hello there Anna. How have you been?"

The Elder was quite a strong man, although it was obvious that his years were catching up to him. With wrinkles forming around the mouth and eyes and the somewhat worn clothes he wore, many would see him as a grandfather more than anything, but the villagers did respect him as Elder. There was a time where he had no complications, but soon was having difficulty walking as his bones were going weak. Anna took notice one day, when she saw him practically dragging his feet one of Alfred's brothers were able to treat him and provided him with a cane; a nice wood oak cane, for which he was grateful. His eyes however, while a bit dazed, still had a gaze of confidence and resilience, like a person who was too stubborn to give up.

Or perhaps, too stubborn to be swayed by the words of a certain merchant.

"I've been doing quite well actually! Alfred and the boys just finished up with the house, and we're getting out things ready to depart sometime tomorrow morning."

"I see... well I must say you and your family have done more than enough with helping us in our time of need, and for that I thank you"

"Well we Anna's do our part for the community, tee hee!" She replied, doing her signature pose and winking at him.

"Of course, and like I said I am very grateful" His pleasant smile soon soured, although it was not noticeable. "But I am assuming that you are here for more than a simple chat, correct?"

"Quite the detective aren't you, old timer?"

"Enough to see through your little facade, my dear"

Anna then dropped her cheerful manner and just huffed in annoyance "Well no need to be all serious about it. I'm not trying to take your place or anything"

"How disappointing. I was hoping you do, so as to avoid any more work in the future. Maybe you can spare to help an old fragile man like me?"

"Does it pay well?"

"You get the feeling of satisfaction and have a nice reputation among the common folk"

"Then no thanks. I already get that selling stuff to you guys"

"I see, well then won't you come in? It's much better than being outside in the sun all day. Also, my wife has just finished brewing some tea."

She accepted and walked into the dining room, taking a seat at the small table while the elder sat across from her.

"Man, you sure know how to make a woman feel special"

"Yes I know, my wife has told me many times"

"And quite the kidder too. You know, if you were about a few decades younger, wouldn't mind going for you"

"Thankfully I'm not, so I don't have to worry about you pestering me"

"Well to hell with you then!"

"Language young lady!"

"Yeah... whatever. Say where is your wife by the way? I haven't seen her all morning"

"Ah, she was at her garden, tending to her flowers. She loves working on her garden, planting and watering. At times I would say she is a farmer than a simple housewife, but every time she would berate me for that, haha!"

"And here I am, wondering what she sees from you"

"Yes well, we can save that conversation at a later time. As for now I would like to hear what you have to say"

The Elder straightened himself as best as he could, and looked at Anna with upmost attention. Anna did the same, although a bit more reluctant as she was gathering her thoughts, and it was complete silence for several minutes before she spoke. When she did it was at a low tone, as she knew it would be useless trying to sugarcoat things to the elder.

"First of all...", she began, " The boys and I took note of what you guys have and what you would need for later trips, and we would have to add more to our little deal the next time we meet."

This made the elder confused, "Did not you say you would not need payment for the supplies you gave us?"

"Only for this one, since you didn't have much to give anyways. Now that the village is more active, we would have to start charging for our services."

Hearing this, the elder slowly looked down on his folded hands, in deep thought "I see..."

"You don't have to worry about it for the moment. Just wanted to give you a heads up."

The elder didn't look up when he replied, "Thank you... is there anything else to discuss?"

"..."

"..."

The Elder soon looked up and saw Anna was struggling with what she was going to say, if her rigid expression was anything to go by. He also noticed that her hands were slightly clenched and was taking deep breaths.

"Anna, are you alri-"

She suddenly took a sharp intake of breath and leaned forward, prompting the elder to rush to her side. Anna on her part kept her hands together and brought them close to her chest, as if it was to rupture at any moment. Swaying slightly back and forth, she continued to breathe and shiver in quick succession, trying to keep herself from losing it. Meanwhile The Elder stayed next to her, his hands on her left arm and shoulder, silently giving support. A minute passes. Then two, three and four minutes pass. This continued for about several minutes, until she began to relax and regain her composure again. As her muscles began to loosen, she slowly slumps down on her chair, and she covers her face with her hands.

"Anna..."

The Elder's voice brings her out of her daze, realizing that he was still here the whole time. Not responding, she turns to her left and sees The Elder, with his eyes having a look of concern.

"Is there something you need to tell me?"

His tone was cautious, as he did not want to say anything that would further provoke her

"No, I'm fine... just had a rough day..."

"Seems like it was more than a rough day" The Elder replied. Her voice betrayed the stress she was feeling.

"Yeah, we had a group of bandits ambush us... and one of those bastards got me across the chest..."

"Dear Gods, here let me get you-"

"No it's okay..." She grabbed his arm before he could leave. "Let's just...continue with what we were talking about."

"Hmm, very well then"

The Elder knew there was something else going on, but he was not one to pry into the lives of other people. He knows very well how many hide their secrets because of the pain it causes them, and he even witnessed several cases when the villagers would come to him for advice and comfort. When he saw what happened to Anna, he already realized why. He would need to know more, but for now it is better to wait until she is ready to tell him, until the pain is somewhat dulled for it to become bearable to speak.

He went to take his seat again, only this time he sat close to her, ready to give support just in case.

The conversation resumed, although it came out awkward at first. However, as the thoughts of her episode slowly began to fade, the talk became more lighthearted. Laughs were shared, and even a few jabs were exchanged between the two, but for the most part they were able to discuss the recent news of the outside world, and she reassured him that she would be back soon with more goods to sell. It was sometime after sundown when they bid their farewells, and Anna went back to the house she was staying at.

The house was a one story building that was built outside the outskirts of the village. The house had a living room, dining room and kitchen as well as three bedrooms and one bathroom. It was bare of any decorations, only needing furniture and other necessities, but that was a given since they weren't planning to live here anytime soon.

When Anna arrived, she found most of her cousins sleeping in the living room using their blankets as beds. When they arrived at Mirage Village there were about a dozen or so of them, so it was a given that they would have to find another place to sleep. Of course, Anna herself already claimed one of the bedrooms as her own, while the other two were being shared among the men.

"Nice to see you back again, cousin"

Anna gave a small yelp when Alfred came from the kitchen, shirtless and carrying a small glass of water.

"Dammit Al! You scared me!" She harshly whispered.

"Not my fault, you were too busy looking at the bundle of sleeping beauties on the floor"

"Oh shut up! You could have at least warned me or something!"

"Sure thing, I'll keep that in mind for next time"

Anna pinched her nose in annoyance "Yeah sure, whatever. Anyways did you guys have everything ready for tomorrow?"

Alfred nodded in affirmation, "Yup. Got the wagons ready, horses fed and tended to and got the list for the next batch of supplied needed." He took a small sip of water before continuing

"So where do we go from here?"

" _sigh_ well since we established a nice hideout here, we need to cover more ground. I need you to head to Ylisse and see if there is any way we can find a place there while I head over to the Outrealm Gate. There's a weapons dealer nearby who sells quality stuff, and we need to have her as an ally"

"An Anna I'm assuming?"

"Of course, who else?"

"Just making sure..." He takes another sip of his water, "Are you sure you won't need any backup?"

"Oh don't worry, we're all family here! I'm sure she'll be glad to help us."

"Yeah, provided she doesn't beat the crap out of us first..."

Anna huffed and lightly smacked his arm, "You worry too much Al. I got this alright? All you need to do is head over and find a nice little place to stay in Ylisse. Seems easy, right?"

"Of course, but remember who you're dealing with." He then finished his glass and was heading back to the kitchen until he felt Anna grabbing his shoulder. He looked back and saw she was a bit down "Is something wrong?"

"..."

"..."

"...it happened again"

That got his full attention, and he fully faced Anna and began to check for any visible wounds.

"Don't worry, it wasn't that bad this time"

"Yeah, this time." His voice was stern and stiff; a scolding voice. "You need to be more careful with this, you were lucky we were here"

"Yeah I know, but listen. We need to get this done, and we don't have much time"

"I know, but please try not to overexert yourself now"

"I won't, I promise"

Alfred only let a deep sigh escape his lips, and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and then giving her a tired grin. "Alright then, just be careful." He then turned around and went back to the kitchen. "Now go to sleep, we have a long day ahead of us"

Anna bid him goodnight an went to her bedroom, where she changed into a nightgown and settled herself into her was only a short time ago when she was able to sleep as soundly as this, and she was still in the process of getting used to it.

 _It's okay Anna, you aren't there anymore. You don't have to worry about it anymore._

 _You aren't there anymore..._

 _You don't have to worry about it anymore..._

She stared at the ceiling, repeating the same mantra over and over. Taking deep breaths, she slowly closed her eyes and waited for the feeling of stress to leave her body as she soon drifted off into sleep. She was able to sleep soundly that night, and they would be leaving the next day for the border pass, where they would soon split and go on their separate ways.


	4. An Ill Received Report

_Ylisse boasts a reputation that is unprecedented, with tales of their past that can never be outshone by the other nations. Legends of heroes and the blessings of the divine dragons attracting scholars, priests, and other people of all over the world to see the Haildom for what it is. This could be rather egoistic to some, but it does have justification, for the world was much different several millennia ago._

 _The world was much different, as the landscape was not of the current times but the previous continents named Valentia and Archanea. There were many nations that inhabited these continents, but the one that stood out the most was the Kingdom of Archanea, which was where the Haildom of Ylisse came to be. Nevertheless, Archanea and the other nations were not immune to the inevitable misery of war. For many years, these nations were under the cycle of war and temporary peace that plagued the world for many years. It was not until the birth of the Fell Dragon that the cycle would stop._

 _Grima, who was the creation of a mad alchemist stricken with grief, came to harbor a seething hatred for humanity and wanted to be the one to bring it to its destruction. After killing his creator, he made a pact with a human and began his rampage to destory the world as we know it. This had alarmed the Divine Dragon Naga, who was the one who led the other Divine Dragons of the world. She did not want the world to be consumed by darkness, and so she came to the aid of a certain human. The man was given two artifacts made by Naga herself; the Falchion and the Shield of Flames. Even with such strong weapons, it was still not enough to go against Grima._

 _In order to ensure victory, the man travelled to Mount Prism, where he made a rite of Awakening and made a blood pact with Naga. The rite was a success, and with the power of the Divine Dragon flowing within him, he confronted Grima, and the Fell Dragon was ultimately defeated. The Fell Dragon was sealed, and peace was restored to the land. Shortly after the defeat of Grima, he became the founder and the First Exalt of the Haildom of Ylisse. The Exalt made great efforts to improve his counrty, and so he became loved by his people. The years of his rule were relatively peaceful, and he was regarded as a loving and peaceful man. His pact with Naga was still going strong, as he was given the Brand of the Exalt to represent his bond with the Divine Dragon._

 _It was many years after the death of the first Exalt when the world had already changed dramatically. No longer were the continents of Valentia and Archaena, but of Valm and Ylisse. Many nations of the Old World had fallen one by one, but had laid the foundations for future nations that rose from the ashes. Ylisse and Plegia were but a few of these new nations. Grima still was quiet in his slumber, but there were those who wanted to bring in the resurrection of The Fell Dragon. Soon they formed a cult, which was to be feared throughout the lands, and thus the Grimleal was born. In the course of these transpiring events, the gems of the Fire Emblem were either stolen or given away, leaving only the Falchion and the Shield as the only family heirlooms of the Exalt._

 _This particular era was considered by many historians as The Schism, as there was unfortunately little to no additional information as to what had occurred. Many of the scrolls had been lost due to the length of time, as well as several conflicts that had transpired over these last thousand years. Nevertheless the Haildom of Ylisse had experienced an era of peace for the most part..._

 _and it was always due to the diligence and caring of the Exalt..._

 _that the people would cherish these moments of peace..._

* * *

A clear but soft knock resounded thought the wooden double doors and throughout the elegantly decorated room. This had brought on the attention of several individuals, one of them a well dressed man who was quietly reading a chapter off of a recent history book of Ylisse. It was rather late, and very few people would be out and about at these hours.

"Hello? It's Nana, Your Grace. May I come in?"

Upon knowing it was one of the royal servants, the man who has in the room let out a short breath of relief. His two children who were on his lap were brought out of their drowsy state by the noise. Seeing this, he quietly got them off his lap as he set his book on his desk. Then he adjusted his posture on his chair while their children sat in front of said desk.

" Why yes you may, Nana."

The maid in question made her way to the front of the desk, where she gave a small curtsy of greeting to the royal family.

"Please excuse me for the interruption, Milord. I came to inform you that princess Lissa has been fed and properly put to bed."

"Thank you, Nana, as always" then he looked to the little prince and princess. " Now then. Chrom, Emmeryn, I believe its time for you two to get to bed now"

Not surprisingly, this got a short burst of protest from them.

" But faaaaather, we were just getting to the best part!"

"Yeah, can't we stay awake for another chapter or two?"

"Now now, it has been quite a while past your bedtimes. You two are going to go with Nana to get bathed and dressed for bed, and I do not want to hear any funny business from either you or Nana, understood"

"Awwwwwww..."

"I said that is enough. Nana, take these two and get them ready for bed. Then get me something to drink for the night, if you would be so kind."

With a small bow she replied, "Of course, Milord. Come children, you must rest , for tomorrow will be quite a busy day"

The children gave a quick kiss goodnight to their father, then went to the maid to be escorted to their chambers, leaving the Exalt was alone for the moment.

Before the war, he would spend most of the afternoon just like today; with his children. He would read them stories from the many books he keeps from his bookshelf, visit them during their studies, even playing simple but fun games with them every so often. He would spend most of the time with Emmeryn and Chrom, as Lissa was still a baby and was being wet nursed by the other maids. Ever since his wife's death, he had felt a certain emptiness inside, and he would not allow himself to be remarried nor to take a concubine for himself. He would always be with his children, _their_ children. The pride and joy of their several years of marriage, and he would let everyone know about it. Now he was lucky if we was able to actually have any alone time with them, as the war effort had taken a big toll on his schedule as well as his health.

Nana was a maid who recently was hired a few years after the death of his wife and several months after the initial outbreak of war. She was part of the general staff who worked at the castle in Ylisstol, but with her courteous habits and diligent manners it did not take long before she became the personal maid for the royal family. She was always eager to serve, and the children adored her. They would often times call her instead of their father to read them stories, or to have her join in in their games. All in all she was already a part of their family, being their "Big Sister" as they called her. He was glad to have someone as her to take care of them.

The Exalt looked at his desk which was riddled with various reports, maps and other documents that had been sent to him from the front lines. He remembered that he was reviewing these documents after the disastrous retreat following the Plegian Counteroffensive. These documents stated that they had lost major ground as well as a large portion of their supplies due to the constant raids that were conducted behind their lines. To make matters worse many of the soldiers were quickly loosing the will to fight and were beginning to desert and others were very well close to insubordination. At the moment his forces are already near the Ylissean border and are at a stalemate with the Plegians. At this rate it would not be long before the Plegians would launch another attack that would drive them back into their land.

With a frustrated sigh he started organizing the documents, attempting to blink away the early signs of fatigue from his face. With the children no longer there to further distract him, he would have to go back to the agonizing task of handling this delicate set of affairs. Only thing that he was hopeful for is the drink that Nana would bring to him soon.

* * *

The Castle may have been the home of the royal family, but in the case of the children it was nothing more than a giant maze full of different rooms and empty hallways. There was never a time when they would easily lose their way and start bawling their eyes out for them to find them, especially when the sun would be down, and the large oil lamps would not be enough to light their way. If anything it would only add to the scary picture of a dark hallway, where every shadow would just jump at them. The few people who would walk through these hallways would become ogres and the smallest of rats would be terrifying beasts that would crawl along the walls. Any movement or sound that would occur would be a reason to stop and close their eyes. Even when they were accompanied by someone such as Nana, they could not help but feel afraid of the darkness that the large oil lamps could not reach.

The servant in question can tell they were terrified by how close they would be to her, and how their hands would grip tightly on her own hands and skirt. However, she would not mind one bit, as she would slightly adjust herself to allow them to be close. Her own steps were paced in order for her to stay behind them, where she can see them. While they wouldn't have to worry about something as big as an attack on the castle anytime soon, there were always the possibility for a attempt on ones life. Children were defenseless and inexperienced, which meant that they were vulnerable. While not in immediate danger, these children would still need a few years before they would be at most left without an escort. Only when they would learn the means to defend themselves from danger would they be better left alone.

For now however, Nana would not allow a single scratch to be seen on them. Not when they were counting on her to do what she was hired to do. With that small thought, it would be a while before they would reach their chambers. Not that she minded anyways.

* * *

The cluster of paper that was left in his desk was now more or less organized, leaving only stacks that were made in terms of size, area and level of urgency. Not exactly the best system of organization, but it was better than nothing. He may be the Exalt, but he was more suited for leading and overlooking battlefields rather than the role of a mere secretary. Such a thought brought a dry chuckle out of him.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when there was a soft knock on the door. While the was no reason for alarm, he could not help but place his hand over the hilt of the Falchion.

"Who may it be?"

A gentle but commanding voice was heard. "This is Commander Phila of the Pegasus Knights, Your Grace. Permission to come in?"

"Permission granted, Phila,come in"

Phila came in with the full, confident stride of an officer. Taking the time to close the door, she took small but firm steps until she was about a few feet from the desk. From there she briskly stopped and stood attention before finally giving a salute to her commander in chief. It was only until the Exalt saw how troubled and out of breath she looked that he sensed that something was wrong.

"I have came back from the front lines and I would like to report on the current situation regarding our soldiers"

"Phila, as you can see here I am already littered by the reports that you have already sent me from the Plegian front." He gestured to the stacks that were on his desk. "I believe I have already heard enough for the moment"

"Sire, I am terribly sorry but this is something that cannot be put aside. I had to return in order to relay the information to you myself instead of a messenger because it would have already been too late"

The Exalt slowly rose from his chair, whatever good mood he had now gone.

"Phila... what is it you are trying to tell me?"

"..."

"...Phila?"

"Sire... I-I have received news... about a certain camp of ours that was stationed about several weeks ago and..."

"...and?"

" ...and going against your orders... they decided to parlay with some of the Plegian forces!"

"WHAT!?"

The commander held her breath when the Exalt began storming towards her, and was awfully doing her best to not break down right then and there. Nevertheless she could not help but feel the beads of sweat go down her forehead as he stared right at her at close range.

"How in the hells did this happen!?"

"A-Apparently they were... having the riders send messages to one another, while making sure they would not report i-"

"Riders!? as in YOUR RIDERS!?"

"Sire please forgive me! Our forces are already stretched thin as it is, we don't have enough people to keep them in line!"

"Do you have any idea how disastrous this will turn out!? If those soldiers surrender their arms, they will leave an opening for the Plegians to waltz through!"

This was becoming more and more infuriating at the minute. The Exalt took deep breaths in order to control his temper, pacing around the room to gather his thoughts. Phila dared not move, and could only follow with her eyes. The only sounds that were heard were the simple clacking noise of his feet across the floor. The pegasus knight can hear herself suffocate under the sheer tension.

The Exalt soon stopped in front of her once more, his features now a bit tame. "Where is it?", he asked.

"S-sire?"

"Where is this camp located?"

"...It is l-located down south of the P-plegian desert. Reports indicate that it is near several small villages, along with an altar of the Fell Dragon that is just south of Plegia Castle"

The Exalt clicked his tongue in disgust, "Those dastards do not know what they are dealing with. Who in the right mind would worship such a horrible creature, let alone associate themselves with them?"

"That I do not know sire, but there is something else you need to know"

"Hmm?"

"We have also received reports of a small convoy, and are around the same area heading south towards the coast"

"The coast? Are there any harbors that are built along the south coast?"

"None whatsoever, and what more troubling is the fact that the convoy has no indication of being part of either side."

This rose a lot of questions for the Exalt, but the apparent act of insubordination was something he could not ignore at the moment. He would have to ignore the convoy for now.

The Exalt took a moment to think his next plan of action, Phila waiting patiently at attention.

"..."

"..."

"...Phila."

The commander for her part regained composure, ready to receive her orders, "Yes Sire?"

"I want you to investigate this matter and bring those responsible to the capital. They are accused for committing treason of the highest regard against the Halidom of Ylisse and will be punished to the fullest extent of the law."

"Yes Sire."

"The rest of the men in question will also be punished, so there will be no leave and their pay will be cut for the remainder of this war. Make sure to bring reinforcements to prevent such an incident from occurring ever again."

"Yes Sire. Is there anything else I need to do?"

"That will be all. You are dismissed."

Phila gave one final salute to the Exalt, "Very well then, your Grace. I bid you goodnight."

"Likewise, Phila"

With that, she turned around and made her way out of the office, once again leaving the Exalt alone once more. With the sound of the door closing shut, he quietly went back to his seat. His whole body was slumped down by the weight of such a report, and was doing his best not to collapse under the sheer pressure. Running his hands through his face, he briefly tried to force himself awake and continue with his work. So many things were happening so fast, and he wondered if he was able to keep up with it all.

...

He also wondered how much longer would he wait for that damned drink of his...

* * *

The only sound that could be heard at the moment were the constant clicking of the Pegasus Knight's shoes as she was heading out towards the stables, the only light provided by the oil lamps throughout the hallways. This was always a slight anxious feeling when going through, and it was not much more different for her. The stress she undertook when she was the Exalt's office didn't do much to calm her nerves. If anything all it did was made her even more paranoid. Which was why she stopped abruptly when she heard someone else coming her way.

"Who's there?" she demanded, with her hand close to the dagger she had at her side.

The person in question stopped as well, probably startled by the voice. They were only a few feet from each other so it wasn't hard to make out the silhouette of a young girl.

"I-it is Nana, Milady. I d-didn't mean to startle you."

With the sound of her voice, she slowly brought her hand back down, and was suprised to find herself letting out a breath that she didn´t know she was holding. She smiled and gave her a slight nod.

"Not to worry, Miss. If anything i should be the one to apologize, as I mistook you for an intruder."

"N-no, It is quite all right. I can see how you would think that, given the time of night."

"Speaking of time..." Phila gestured to the tray she maid was carrying. "For what reason do you have that with you at these hours?"

"Ah! w-well His Grace had asked m-me to bring this to his office right after getting his children to bed"

"I see... and would you have an idea of why that might be the case?"

"Not even the slightet, Lady Phila. However, I have noticed how he was a bit...d-distressed, so it must have been something awful for him to request a drink at this hour"

The drink she was referring to was the one she had on the tray, which was a specially crafted glass bottle of the strongest Feroxi whisky. The only people who would even dare try to drink this were either heavyweights or those who wanted to forget. Given the circumstances, there was no question as to what kind the Exalt was. Phila herself was a bit aprehensive of her Grace resorting to alcohol to calm his nerves, but then again what else could he do after hearing such bad news?

"How unfortunate. Very well then, see to it then that he does not go too deep. I cannot bear to imagine what he would do under the influence, especially after tonight."

"What do you mean? Is there something wrong with Milord?"

"...I fear I cannot help but worry. You and I both know that this war has been hard on him, and perhaps it has taken a toll on his mind as well as his health."

"Of course, Lady Phila. This war has been hard for all of us, especially for Milord."

"Me neither, but we must defeat our enemies as soon as possible. We cannot allow the Plegians to continue with their cultist ways."

This last statement slightly irritaded the young maid, and her hands began to unconsiously grip harder on her tray.

"B-but why must we continue with this war? W-why must the halidom s-suffer with so much death and pain?"

" I know how you feel, miss. However we are already committed to seeing this war through, and should we defeat Plegia, we can be able to rest in peace knowing that we have eradicated their form of worship"

"S-surely there must some other way to resolve this."

Phila took a moment to take a deep breath, however Nana could have sworned that her red eyes slightly gleamed when she looked back at her

"When it comes to the Grimleal, that is the only way to do so... they have no remorse nor do they have mercy to neither friend nor foe. They are the worshippers of the Fell Dragon, the bringer of destruction and an enemy to all life as we know it. They will not rest untill they have the beast awaken from its slumber. Which is why we must intervene... to prevent such a fate from becoming a reality."

"I... I see..." Replied Nana, "I have been a bit foolish to think that there was an alternative. Forgive me, Lady Phila."

"Its quite alright. I understand your concern, but do not worry. Ylisse will become victorious and the Grimleal will soon be no more. For now however, I believe i have kept you for too long."

It was at that moment Nana realized what she was doing.

"Ah, the drink! Excuse me, Lady Phila, I must be on my way now"

"Of course, Miss. Please take care."

Nana responded with a slight curtsy before brislky walking past her to the Exalt´s office. Phila on her end took one last look at the young girl before resuming her walk along the slightly lit hallway.

Had she looked at her a bit longer, she would have saw the maid taking a long swig of said drink while she went to her destination. Not that the Exalt would notice.

It wouldn´t have made the Exalt´s time any more longer either way.

* * *

 **Hello Hello, Kalbern Here! I am so so so so so SO SORRY for the long wait! I have been dealing with alot of stuff at the moment, and I did not have much time to work on this as much. So i want to say this real quick, because this might explain a few things... I moved to Mexico City a few months ago. Yup, i went out of the country, mostly because the rest of my family is here. I have been spending a few weeks getting settled before starting to work on this again, but yeah it has been difficult to a place with a computer to write with.. Nevertheless its no excuse and im sorry. I will be more diligent in getting more done.**

 **Thanks for taking the time to read this, and any feedback and comments are greatly appreciated. I want to know how i can be able to improve on my writing to be able to bring a good reading experience for you guys. Again thanks so much for takng the time to read this and i will see you guys soon.**

 **Ah and a special shoutout to my good beta reader and friend, Cheif of RAGE. Guy has helped me out alot and I am glad I was able to reach out to him. Thanks buddy!**

 **Ok then, I will see you guys later!**


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